...awake to the sound of your cell door squealing open. A guard enters, holding aloft a single torch which lights his face, the face of three other guards, and the face of a man you recognize as a patron from the Inn where you last remember being.

"Your family is safe..." he says, adding, "...in my country home. And they will stay safe ...for as long as you do my bidding."

YOUR OPTIONS:

Remain quiet and hear what more is to come.

Ask the man who he is, what he wants, etc.; basically ask what ever you wish.

Lunge at the man out of anger. (FYI: You won't even reach him before the very attentative guards flanking him stop you, but it is an option.)

CYOR (Create Your Own Response): Offer a different response. Always be aware that CYORs should be limited in reference to the scene's context. For example, here in a cell facing four armed guards, you're not going to be sprinting out of the cell and across the countryside; nor are you likely to spend 5 minutes, begging for mercy before getting interrupted by the "patron". Use your common sense; no reason to spend a lot of time created a long post of actions/words that the host will ignore because the CYOR was not likely to happen. Make sense?)

Regardless of what you do, post some reflection upon your personal life (role play reply style) either before or after the action, which will serve as background and give me information to work with in the future. Don't be too long; you will have lots of time for reflection as the RP ensues.

The noise startled me and my eyes snapped open and all of a sudden I felt the damp and the cold and the stone. I saw the light and the face behind it and sat up with a gasp covering myself as best as I could. More faces came into view and then one, one I had seen before and I stared at trying to remember where I had seen it and then it came to me "the Inn".

I pushed and shuffled myself back into the corner not taking my eyes off of the familiar face. Letting out a slight gasp as he spoke and hearing him mention my family a tear comes to my eye. I sit there cowering in the corner knees pulled up to my chin looking up at him, at all of them as they stand there in the doorway.

"My name is Count Gregorio Parr," he said, presenting himself with a slight bow that more to ease her than to subscribe to any tradition. She came from a country inn -- although Parr had no idea what her position with the establish was, presuming she had one -- so he had no reason to show her undue courtesy. "You may call me Count, though I would prefer m'lord."

He stepped forward a step, still several from her. He continued, "I must apologize for the state you find yourself in. The men who brought you here were ... let's call it, out of line, and they have since been punished or chastised, depending upon their rank within my Guard."

He took another cautious step closer to her. "The Kingdom is in grave danger, and I, along with my fellow Nobles, wish to save it from certain doom."

Again, he stepped closer; he was now in the center of the cell, only three steps from her. Behind him, the guards had also been closing, but their movements had been much more subtle, with their feet only moving inches each step.

"You ... can play a part in our work, my dear," he said, offering out his hand. "You have--" His eyes fell for a moment to her wonderfully shaped body. "--something ... that our King has an interest in, and I employ you ... I beg you ... please help us. You will be handsomely rewarded ... you will be returned to your family ... you will have property upon which you and yours will prosper out from under the grip of the tax man, as the rest of society endures. You will have anything you want. All you have to do is ... give me your hand... and do as I say."

Each time he spoke I tried to push myself back further and further into the cold solid stone wall. I looked up at him staring trying to calm down the shaking that had overtaken my body. When he had first stepped forward I had let out a little scream.

She had seen the others too closing in on her trapping her in the corner and for the first time a tear slipped from her eye and dripped down her cheek as she looked at him, "and if I dont help you?" I managed to ask my voice shaky at first as a second tear dripped down the other side of my face.

Parr could see the fear continuing to build in the young woman. He took a step back, then turned to the nearest guards. He spoke to them quietly; one of them left and didn't come back, and the other returned with a wadded bundle of cloth, turned it over to his noble ruler, and -- with a reluctant expression and a hard glance at the woman -- left as well.

The Count turned back to his captive and allowed he bundle of cloth to roll out, revealing a simple peasant gown. "You must help me. We have only one way of accomplishing our goal without the assistance of a ... a beautiful woman."

He slowly walked forward until the gown hanging from his hand was touching the ankle of her most extended leg. He smiled to her -- again attempting to comfort her -- and said, "I promise you, young lady. You will gain more from helping me than you will gain by any other means for the rest of your life."

Shaking, I could feel the cold all around me and the sight of the gown. As thin as it was it was clothing, it was warmth and it was something to cover me and I reached out for it grabbing at it and then looking into his eyes.

Letting go of the gown I reached out my hand shaking, my arm shaking and I grabbed his hand. Cringing even at just the thought of that little contact as I took it I pushed myself up. As soon as I was sure I would not fall down I let go, grabbing at the gown it came from his hands and I grabbed it eagerly though instead of putting it on I held it against me as I stood straight.

"Can you please at least let me dress in private" I said standing in the corner but still looking up at the man who was a mere few footsteps away. I was 5'7 and he was well over 6' tall.

BTW, I rescued Post #3. I had "Nikita" up on both my lap top and tablet at the time, so I used back on the lap top and found the original text that I'd deleted on the tablet. Whew!

Parr took a step back, gave a little bow of courtesy, and said, "Oh course, m'lady." He took one last, quick gander at her body -- the gown held to her breasts allowed him to see the outer curvatures of them, as well as her shapely hips -- before he backed away, then turned and exited the cell. He waited for her there, telling the guards they could depart.

"Is that wise?" a Guard asked, leaning to look back toward the prisoner but seeing only a dark cell.

Ensuring that his words were just loud enough for his guest to hear, he said, "There is no worry. Nikita wants to see her family again. And she accomplishes that through me. I do not think I'm in any danger, do you?"

YOUR OPTIONS:

Remain where you are and see what happens next.

Exit the cell and stop, run, attack, what ever.

Did you hear him say "Nikita"? This is the first time you are hearing that name. You may or may not be interested in who she is ... or whether he meant you, which of course he did.

I didnt move from the spot, the cell darkened as the light the man was carrying was taken from it and I managed to see into the hallway through the door. All I saw was more stone and I still had no idea where I was. Still shaking my hands pulled the gown over me. Though it did little to warm me it felt a lot better then being virtually naked in front of a group of men I did not know of there intentions towards her.

I heard them speaking and looked up at the mention of the name. Hands down by my side I took one, two and then three steps across the cell coming almost to the doorway. I could make out the silhouette of a person and I could hear footsteps from others as they walked away. The thought suddenly flashed through my mind, running, pushing him into the wall and then what...I had no idea. I took a further step towards the door.

Parr turned and looked to his guest, letting his eyes drop to the plentiful mounds that the thin gown did little to conceal. He looked back up to her and smiled politely. "Your family is safe. They are at one of my homes ... far from here ... and far from danger."

He stepped to one side and gestured her to proceed. "Up those steps, through that trap door, and to your left ... you will find food ... meat, fresh fruits and vegetables ... drink ... warm clothes and boots ... a comfortable bed, rather than a cold wooden plank. It is all yours for the asking."

He turned and headed in the direction he'd indicated, then stopped at the bottom of the ladder rising up through the trap door. He turned and looked to her again, saying in a more somber tone, "Or ... you can climb these steps, take a right ... and flee though the open gate. The guards will not stop you. They have been ordered to stand down. There is nothing standing between you and freedom. Three miles down the road, you will find a town. And ... well ... it will be up to you to figure it out from there."

(OOC -- Only click on the link below that goes with the choice you make. You can look at the others later if you wish, but don't look at them until after you make your choice and post.)

"I want to see them" I said as he spoke about them. "I want to see them." I found myself repeating and I was shocked to watch him turn and walk away. I felt my eyes tear up once more but before any tears had a chance to fall down my face I wiped my eyes clear watching as the figure stopped and from the light that he held I saw some steps going up.

A second wipe of her hand on her eyes was needed as he spoke and she felt her heart racing as she looked around her in the darkness and walked over towards the light, towards the man and towards the steps. I walked up to them and reached out grabbing hold of them in my hand. I looked up following the steps up and seeing daylight at the top.

Not wanting to give him the pleasure of seeing me looking at him my second hand grabbed the ladder and i began to climb up the stairs, wanting to get out of the dark and cold as quickly as I could.

I reached the top of the ladder and without a look back turned to the left and walked.

The first thing I heard was the sound of a crackling fire and I stood in the doorway of the room staring at the jumping flames, not looking at anywhere else in the room and suddenly feeling the heat surrounding me. I stared at it for I dont know how long until I heard a voice and it made me jump and I looked around and saw a woman, I heard what she said but it took me a few seconds to understand and blinking I nodded, "yes, yes it is" I said as I at last looked around the room taking a step inside.

(OOC -- I am sorry I am responding so slowly. I turned on my instant messaging (Yahoo) but then forgot to turn on the instant notification in my options. It's on now, so I should know that you post within seconds of you doing so.)

The old maid, stepped back, gesturing the Count's guest toward the steaming bath with a polite, "If there is anything I can do for you, Lady Nikita ... I am but a humble servant."

She turns back to the fire to refill the hot water jug, and behind you the heavy boots of the Count sound. He tells you, "I will be outside, as will be my men. Please ... stay in this room. When you are ready for me to return and talk to you about your future ... and your family ... send Dorissa for me."

He glanced the direction of the old maid, then turned and walked out the open outer door, across the narrow draw bridge, and down to the stone steps to the guards below.

YOUR OPTIONS:

Ask questions of Dorissa. She will tell you nothing substantial, but you can write for the timid, dutiful woman if you wish.

Take a bath. Dorissa will serve you anything you want and provide you with a beautiful dress; again, you can write all of this

I turned and looked at her wanting to say something, desperate to say something but in the end all that came out was a 'thank you' followed by a smile.

Hearing the sound of the boots I turned towards the door and seeing him standing there I took a step back even though we were already feet apart. I stared, unmoved watching and listening and not breathing until he had turned and left the room. He left me with the maid, the servant and for the second time I smiled.

"Er. Dorissa is it." I took a step over towards her. "Could you get me food, anything, and water to drink." I glanced over at the bath. "Bread. Bread and cheese would be fine. And water" I found myself speaking quickly. "I would like to have a bath."

I had never spoken to a servant before and I felt a little awkward in doing so and I just watched as she stood there. "Bread, cheese and water. Please" I said and saw her looking from me to the bath full of water. "I will be fine, and it will be ok. I will tell the Count that you were very helpful." I was trying desperately to act friendly with her and finely she took a step towards the door and then walked over. Her reply of 'yes m'lady' even made me feel a little embarassed as I heard the door and turned reaching for the gown I pulled it over my head, pushing my panties down too and stepping out of them leaving them on the floor just infront of the bath. I grabbed the side of it and stepped in. One foot, and then two. Sitting down in the warm water and laying down in it.

I jumped when the door went sitting up and covering myself as I looked across the room my heart suddenly racing. Dorissa gasped too and when I saw it was her I smiled "Sorry" I offered as I tried to tell myself to calm down as I saw the old maid with the tray full of food and drink. "Please just put it on the bed for me, thank you Dorissia." I said as I calmed down I moved my arms and let myself slide down back into the warmth of the water as it covered almost every part of my body, just my face above it.

When I was ready to get out, Dorissa was there and instead of being shy I simply smiled and let her assist me. My clothes had been moved to the bed too and even when she asked if I wanted new clothes I looked at her and shuck my head. Putting on the same old clothes I sat on the edge of the bed and ate the bread.

"I am ready to see him now" I turned looking up at the old maid and watched as she nodded and walked out of the room.

(OOC -- I am still not getting instant notification for some reason. I will check my User CP more frequently, to keep our story moving along.)

Parr returned and immediately upon entering the Keep's main chamber and seeing his guest, grimaced with disappointment. He entered slowly, glancing to the gown still lying on the bed. It wasn't anything spectacular -- nothing a noble woman would wear to a ball -- but it was likely fancier and more intricate in design that anything she had ever worn before ... and Parr had wanted desperately to see her in it.

He let it go, though, thoroughly impressed with how the thin peasant dress he'd supplied her earlier highlighted her impressive bosom. He moved toward the fire place and, knowing he'd want it, was handed a wood mug filled with a steaming drink.

"Have you had African Coffee, my dear," he asked, lifting the cup and carefully sipping from it. There was a great deal of argument about how long the drink had been in this part of the Continent, but Parr himself had only first begun enjoying it a few months earlier. "It is an expensive drink ... a bit hard to get used to ... stimulating ... like a beautiful woman."

He eyed her form once more, then started to move a bit closer to her. "Which is why you are here with us today ... Nikita. That is your name, from now on. For as long as you are with us, we will call you this name, and you will think of yourself by this name. Our ... mission is better suited if the king believes you are from the Dayla region, an area where the name is prevalent."

He carefully sat on the very end of the bed, as far as he could be away from her and not fall to the floor like some Court jester. He sipped at the coffee, admiring the view.

(There is no need for options at this point. A bit of simple role play for the moment.)

I had the water raised to my lips drinking, though when I first saw him walk into the room I stopped. Slowly as I lowered the water, holding it in both hands in my lap and watched as he walked over towards the fireplace and then over towards the bed, feeling it sink a little as he sat down.

I waited until he had finished, hearing his words but not totally understanding and taking them in. I noticed how he stared and looked at me but by this time I had grown tired of hiding myself, the gown did that enough for me anyway. He moved closer as he spoke and I took another sip of the water.

"I am sat here because you have my family." I said though I was looking down at my lap to begin with, "all I care about is my family and not any mission." I was looking at him. "You can tell me that my family are safe over and over, but I am not going to believe you until I see it for myself." I stood taking hte last of the water and pouring it into the bath. I turned and walked right up to him standing just a few steps away from him. "Take me to my family, bring them here I dont care which. Then you can talk about whatever mission you want too."

I turned walking over to the fire, "and no I have never had african coffee" I added as I looked at the dancing flames.

(OOC -- There is a touch of "god moding" below. Sorry; it was necessary to get to the next "Options" offering.)

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Parr watched Nikita as she moved away to stand before the fire. The bright flames in the otherwise poorly lit room silhouetted her well rounded body through the thin fabric of the simple gown; she looked as good as naked, making his dick twinge within his trousers. If this were any other day, a woman like this would have been flat on her back in his bed within minutes of having arrived, performing her peasant duty for her noble lord.

And while the Count still had every intention of parting the beauty's thighs before long, now was not the time for quenching his carnal desires.

He stood and crossed to the still open doorway leading from his quarters to the foyer. He called out, "Drop the bridge ... and show Nikita her family."

Parr turned and found Nikita already turned to face him, an expression that he thought was somewhere between surprise, confusion, and doubt. He gestured her to him, saying, "Please ... Nikita ... come. Come look."

She was hesitant, but after he backed away from the door and gestured again, she made her way tentatively across the room, into the foyer, and to the heavy oak door at the top of the now inaccessible pedestrian draw bridge.

[OOC -- If you look in the picture of the keep, you'll see the stone stairway and the very simple wood walkway leading from the keep to it. Just imagine this as being controlled by a rope and pulley system by a guard on top of the keep. The draw bridge is primarily designed to keep people out, not keep people in.]

A few yards out from the stone entry steps, a Guard is waving a flag in a definite pattern, his gaze -- and that of another Guard -- on the edge of the woods two hundred yards away beyond golden fields of grain.

A cobble stone path cuts through the fields, and at the end of it--

Figures appear from out of the woods -- some on horse back, others on foot -- and after a moment, it is obvious that those on horse back are the Count's Guard and those on foot are ... Nikita's family.

OPTIONS:

Faint and fall to your death ... kidding!

Leap from 15 feet onto the cobble stones below ... and probably break something the Count likes just the way it is.

Scream and holler like a school girl seeing the Beatles on Ed Sullivan. (Can you tell I've had a little too much coffee?)

Stay put and reflect (which would be good to do anyway, because I need to know who and what your family is all about. You can do this before choosing something else, too.)

The instant I saw them I turned on him. "You said they were far away from danger" I screamed as I walked up to him. My hands in fists I hit at his chest. Pounding on it as I repeated myself, the second time it was mixed with sobs and tears came down my face.

Composing myself I took a step back turning only to look at my family once looking from them one to the other to the other, seeing the guards on the horses. "What are you going to do with my family?" I turned back to him asking as I wiped the fresh tears from my face.

Parr had begun to reach up to intercept Nikita's fists but instead allowed her to pound on him. She was within her right to be upset; if could even be argued that she was within her right to lash out at a noble. The Count had, in fact, kidnapped her and her family, then separated them, then dangled the others before his reluctant cohort to secure her cooperation.

Then he remembered that he didn't yet have her cooperation. He stepped up closer to her, then -- seeing her half glance back at the sound of his feet upon the plank floor -- gave her a wide berth as he circled her and stopped at the door.

"Dorissa!" he called. An instant later, the old woman appeared from the tiny room that served as her quarters during her time in the Keep. Parr looked to Nikita for a moment, then said to the servant, "Go to the forest cabin, please. Assure the family that ... our guest is fine and in good spirits and helping us with an issue vital to the kingdom."

He half glanced toward Nikita, then added, "Tell them that the entire family will be reunited soon ... but, if one of them would like to come visit now, I will permit that. Don't walk. Take the cart."

"Yes, m'lord," she said, before glancing to Nikita, as if expecting input -- or argument -- from her as well.

Parr looked to Nikita and asked, "Is there anything you would like Dorissa to relay to them...? Perhaps something that will put them at ease...?"

I looked from the maid to him and back to the maid again as I desperately tried to hide my emotions. "Just tell them I am ok and I will see them very soon" I said the last of the words coming out quickly as I turned and walked back into the room sitting down on the end of the bed. Hearing the old maid leave I glance up at the doorway and saw him standing there.

(OOC -- Okay, so Parr is doing something below that Nikita might now have allowed. DO NOT let me god mode her. In your response, if she pulls away or pulls his hand back before he does any of the below, write it that way in your post; I will come back here and edit it out. I don't want to god mode her into something you wouldn't have allowed. Seriously!)

Parr sends Dorissa on her way, waiting until the Guard atop the tower has lowered the draw bridge to allow the old maid across before he closes first the outer and then the inner doors. He turns to look at Nikita, hesitates, then walks to the fire to refill his wooden mug with the thick, black coffee. He sets it upon the table full of food, then -- slowly, as not to threaten her -- joins her on the bed, this time much closer than he had before.

"The king is having a ball in twelve days," he tells her, watching her face for her reactions to the individual parts of his explanation. "The king has ... let's call it a weakness. He, like so many men, has a weakness for a beautiful woman. And by beautiful woman--"

He reaches out slowly, hesitating to ensure that she knows he is not going to harm her, and pulls a lock of hair out from before her eyes. Then ... he allows the backs of a pair of his fingers to ever so gently touch her cheek ... then ... slowly ... almost not touching her at all ... caress their way down her neck ... to her shoulder, where he ever so slowly pulls the cloth downward, just barely off her shoulder to reveal the upper curvature of her large firm breast. With his back hand to her, he ever so gently caresses his fingers down over her slightly chilled skin, then -- contacting the fabric still covering most of her breast -- he gently lowers his hand until his knuckles roll over her chill-hardened nipple ... and finally ... he lowers his hand away from her.

"--I mean a woman like you ... Nikita. You are what any man wants from a lover ... and more importantly, you are precisely what the King wants from a lover ... and ... you will be his lover."

I watched as he sent the old maid away. I watched him as he came back into the room and sat down. I knew what he was going to say even before it left his mouth. The first touch of his hand I shuddered my eyes left him looking down at my knees.

I had had many men touch or grope me before and I sat still until the hand left me and I reached pulling my dress back up over my shoulder covering myself. "You make sure my family, my mom, my dad, and my brother are safe. If the king wants me then take me to him. But you keep your hands off of me." I stood and walked over to the fire, walking anywhere just to get away from him. 'Thats it? You kidnapped me and my whole family because the King wants a lover." I glanced at him and shook my head walking over to the door. "So, lets go them. Why are we sitting here chatting like friends?"

"Oh, Nikita, dear," he said standing and walking slowly toward her. "I'm sorry, but ... well, I'm afraid that you're missing a few of the more important details."

When he was just inches away from her, he reached out with his palm upwards and touched his fingers to her chin. He smiled and said in a casual, matter of fact tone, "You're not going to be his lover ... not for long, anyway. Nikita ... you're going to kill the king."

With the touch of his fingers I flinched and turned looking past him across the room staring at it for what felt like minutes but was probably merely seconds. "You want me to kill someone? You think I can kill someone?" I felt my body shaking as I glanced up at him. "I'm not going to kill anyone, especially no king. Thats a suicide mission."

I flinched reached up and brushed his arm away taking a step away from him. "I'm not going to kill anyone, I'm not your murderer. And killing the King? Thats just a suicide mission." I walked back over sitting on the edge of the bed trying to keep as much distance between them as possible. "And what makes you think that I would even do this for you?"